Method

1.

Begin by making a marinade for the venison. Pour the olive oil into a shallow dish and scatter over the thyme. Lightly crush the juniper berries on a board, using the back of a pan, then add to the dish, along with the crushed garlic. Give everything a stir then add the venison. Season with salt and pepper then toss everything together, making sure the venison is coated thoroughly.

2.

Heat a little oil in a large sauté pan. Once the oil is hot, add the venison along with a third of the marinade. Cook over high heat for 6-8 minutes, tossing and turning the meat so it cooks evenly and browns on all sides. Add more of the marinade once the meat has browned, if you like.

3.

Add the butter to the pan. Once it starts to foam, remove the pan from the heat. Spoon the butter and pan juices over the venison for 1-2 minutes – this will help to brown the meat even further and keep it succulent.

4.

Check the venison is cooked by touch; if it feels springy, then it is perfectly medium rare. If there is no bounce, return to the heat and cook for a couple minutes more. Remove the venison from the pan and leave to rest for 5 minutes.

Pepper compote:

1.

For the pepper compote, heat a large heavy-based sauté pan then add a drizzle of olive oil. Remove the core and seeds from all the peppers then slice thinly. Add them to the hot pan with some seasoning, then throw in the thyme. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until just softened.

2.

Deglaze with the vinegar over a high heat, until the vinegar has almost completely evaporated. Add a splash of water, and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, until you are left with syrupy juices.

3.

To serve, spoon a portion of the peppers onto the middle of 4 warm serving plates and drizzle over the syrupy juices. Thickly slice the venison on the diagonal and arrange on of top. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

Pomme purée:

1.

For the pomme purée, cut the potatoes into even-sized chunks then cook in a large pan of boiling salted water until tender. Once cooked, drain well then return the potatoes to the pan over a low heat to dry out for a few minutes. Pass the potatoes through a vegetable mouli or potato ricer (and if you want an even smoother result, press the potato through a fine sieve with a spatula). Meanwhile, heat the cream in a pan. Beat the butter and some seasoning into the potatoes then pour the hot cream over and mix together really well. Whisk in a few extra knobs of butter for a rich, silky finish.

Purple sprouting broccoli with shallot and garlic confit:

1.

For the brocolli, use a large, sharp cook’s knife, chop the shallots and garlic into very fine dice. Place the shallots and garlic into a heavy-based saucepan with the oil, a light sprinkling of salt, the sugar and herbs and a splash of water.

2.

Set the pan over high heat. When the oil becomes hot, adjust the heat to a moderate setting, give the shallots and garlic a stir and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 20-25 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time and stirring every 5 minutes, to stop the shallots and garlic sticking to the bottom. You should be left with a soft, sweet and lightly golden shallot mixture. Set aside.

3.

(The confit can be stored in a screw-topped jar in the refrigerator for one week, or, if covered with a layer of olive oil, for up to one month).

4.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Boil the broccoli spears for 2 minutes. Drain then cool under a cold running tap or in a bowl of iced cold water. Drain well then pat dry thoroughly with kitchen paper or a clean tea towel.

5.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, add the broccoli and fry for 1-2 minutes until the broccoli is just tender. Add the shallot and garlic confit and toss through the broccoli until warm. Season generously with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.